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𝕿𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖆 𝕺𝖋 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕮𝖆𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖔𝖗𝖓

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"𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖎𝖘𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖟𝖊
𝕬𝖑𝖑 𝖔𝖋 𝖓𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖉 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖋𝖗𝖊𝖊
𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖎𝖘 𝖜𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝕴 𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊..."

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It had been over a month since I came to the island of Trinacina. I knew before my voyage that life on the island would be much different than life in Kemet. I am a prince of great Kemet to the south, unworthy of the title of Pharoah like my father before me: the Titan of canines Aureus. In his passing I would be next to inherit the throne of the country, but I was not ready to inherit his burden. To better myself I sought the freedom of lands beyond the Nile, the river was not the source of life. The Nile was not the only source of life. For this simple kingdom, they were surrounded by the nurturing waters of the sea. Kemet was a land of sprawling sands and oasis, of stone and exotic elegance that greeted the sun with gold and ruby hues come dawn while bidding farewell in sapphire and silver glows at dusk. The moment I stepped off the ship I was met with lush emerald grass and cliffs that overlooked an endless lazuli blue.
My reception was cold and ignored, which I preferred. Kemet was a land in the center of trade and prosperity, opposite from this isolated island but it was starting to open slowly to the outside world. I had come to meet many faces of all sorts, all people of hooves feet. I was the stranger in their land, in time I had learned they had narrowly avoided invasion from enemies to the north hence their apprehension to new faces. There were no jackals at all on this island and so I became a figure of suspicion due to my face. Rather than being chased out I had found residence with a kindly old goat and was given the task to tend to the earth. Queen Meritamen, my mother, would never let me touch the earth, to not feel clay–no, fertile soil between my pawpads. A great sensation of hope swept over me. Perhaps for once in my life I will be able to provide and nurture life with my own two hands, no matter how small. When I started my task as a humble farmer, I tired easily and for a while became a burden to the Trinacinian who gave me shelter. In time with each new day I became stronger and teh work became less arduous. Giving thanks and surrendering my strength to better the earth became my aspiration, to not become a pharoah who rules atop a throne like my grandfather, but a leader like my father.


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During my many weeks in Trinacina, I became friendly with some of the farms in the field. The old goat who employed me seemed to take a shine to my work. Of the few faces I came to know by name, he was the only one that treated me with any kindness. I feared he might know my true identit, however I learned very quickly this was not the case. One knight over a meal of bread I learned he was from another island kingdom called Phygaria all the way to the east. By the month’s end he taught me how to tend the field and everything I needed to know about the island. The kindly old goat had even made a proper bed for me to rest in. If I ever return to Kemet I should properly reward him. My country needs more people like Stanislao, those who care about life rather than luxuries and the welfare of their life after death. The people of Trinacina celebrated life, perhaps too much.

I woke up before the sun rose over the hills, but my friend was still asleep. It was unlike Stanislao to sleep in, there were times he woke me up, but to find him still asleep stirred my curiosity and concern. I peered into his room where he slept soundly. As if he heard my quiet footsteps, an eye weakly opened.
“Why are you awake, my apprentice?” Stanislao yawned.
“Why are you still asleep? The fields won’t tend themselves”, I chuckled.
“Oh yes, I forgot to tell you. The Holy Week of the Sea starts today. We won’t work for the next few moons.”
My eyebrow rose, my confusion noticed by the aged goat.
“My son, for the whole week the royal family prays to the Primordial of the Sea to bless us with rain and fish. More specifically, the royal princess of Trinacina will make her prayer and appeal. The whole island abstains from labor to celebrate and on the final day of the Holy Week, the princess and seer herself blesses everyone who comes to the Temple.”
This matter-of-fact explanation only aroused more questions rather than answers. As Stanislao stood I said, “I have questions—“
“You always have questions, Khrurn. Well, I might as well wake. I’ll answer your questions during breakfast“, he hummed.
By now I have become used to the popping and cracking of his aged body with every sharp movement he made. Of course I would not leave him to his devices, much as he insisted he could walk himself to the table.

With my stomach full of sugary bread and frozen lemons topped with minced sugarcane, the goat began his story.
“Like all royals, Trinacina has a royal family too, however they are all seer and oracles. However, the Princess is special.”
“How is she special?” I asked.
“She is the child of the Primordial God of the Sea and Poison.”
“You jest!” I scoffed.
“My words are true, boy!” Stanislao laughed, “Her birth was celebrated all over Trinacina and news of it spread to Phygaria. I even migrated over here to see it for myself. I remember years ago when the Princess was a little doeling. They had her in the Temple to bless everyone and I saw her. She was a tender and sweet little Capricorn.
“A Capricorn?” This word was strange to me. I heard of sphinxes, aurochs, and even wolf-dragons called alphyns in my youth. But never a Capricorn.
“A blessed being. She may look like a goat but to call her such would be untrue. She has a beautiful tail of the sea that shimmers in the colors of dawn and day. Absolutely beautiful. The day I bowed to her little hooves my life became blessed, and I decided to live here. And I’m glad I did! Ever since she was born, the island’s drought vanished and everyone’s prayers were answered.”
In my astonished mind I asked, “Such a being truly exists?”
“Would I lie to you, son? In my youth I was skeptical of forces that I couldn’t see or explain, however when I saw her, I knew it was the flesh and blood of the Primordial God.”
I grew quiet in thought, causing Stanislao to lean forward.
“In Kemet, do you people pray to the Primordial Gods? I know more to the south and Far East, the Primordials are practically unknown.”
“No. In Kemet we believe in an even more ancient religion from before the time of the Primordials. However, the teachings of Safiya and the New Gods are being whispered from the Far East. Some in Kemet have begun to talk about this ’Celestial Goddesses’ but their numbers are still small.”
The goat shook his head, finding it hard to believe in the existence of gods other than his own.
“I’ve never heard of gods more ancient than the Primordial Gods, or why would they be called that. And they are already ‘New Gods’? Perhaps they are a small cult that will fade with time.”
“A small cult? The teachings of Safiya and the Celestial Goddesses have been around for over a thousand years, emerging around the same time as the Primordials, however the Safiyan faith is rather exclusive”, I explained, the goat laughing at my words.
“Goodness, there is a whole world out there, huh? No matter...I’m content with my island. My home...”
“But isn’t Phygaria your home?”
A glance shot from his eyes to chill my blood, “No. This is my home. Wherever that little goddess calls home, I call it home as well.” Silence fell over the both of us before the goat stood up.
“Since we have a free week, why don’t we go into the town and celebrate. If you are going to live in Trinacina you must learn our ways. And at the end of the Holy Week you can see the Princess herself. How about it?”
I gave a curt nod, the heavy-set billy rubbed his hands together with anticipation. I was soon to learn my fate would soon change the moment I agreed.

Just as the old goat said the whole town was in good spirits. Everyone was outside walking the streets, chattering excitedly, cooking food, and being merry. Never in Kemet had I ever seen people so lively outside the royal court. My muzzle couldn’t help but rise into a smile as I took everything around me. The sights, the sounds, the smells, and the atmosphere of it all. In that moment I found joy with life outside working the fields. These people did not care for luxuries and fulfilling a role, they truly wished to just live their simple lives with simple needs. We closed the distance to the town’s square, music and clapping growing louder and louder. I tried to look over the crowd, seeing glimpses of a twirling figure. Stanislao blissfully sighed, he saw something I could not.
“What a beautiful tarantella. She dances so beautifully”, the old goat mused.
“Tarantella?”
“Oh yes! It’s a popular dance here in Trinacina. They say its an ancient dance to capture the love of the gods, but anyone who dances the Tarantella makes those who watch fall in love” he explained.
The explanation was vague, but the look I got from my friend was something along the lines of ‘you should see it for yourself’. I push through the crowds, trying to get a closer look until nothing blocked my view. My eyes were seized and all the world stopped for a moment at the sight of this rare beauty. In the center of the circle of clapping spectators was a white goat. Her face was as bright as the sun as she spun. Her hands clapping together as her hooves clicked against the stone streets before kicking into the air. She was graceful as she turned, her body moving like the ocean: rhythmic and wild. I was entranced by her smile and the way her curvy body rolled with such freedom. I was frozen in place and in that moment I knew what Stanislao meant. There was a reason this dance survived throughout the ages. My heart started to throb. No matter how much I tried looking away, a sharp clap of her hands turned my attention right back to her.
She twirled on her hoof, making her dress rise and in that flash of a second I saw something. A tail, more specifically that of a fish, hidden just beneath the frills of her dress! At last I understood what a Capricorn was! She was the daughter of a mortal and the Primordial of the Sea, truly a blessed being! I felt someone grab my arm and pull me away.
“That’s her! I told you she exists!” The goat laughed at me.
This was the royal princess? The revered goddess incarnate? It seemed like it was too wondrous to be true. As she continued to dance, the clapping turned into mutters and pointing figures. With her fish tail exposed, her identity was revealed. The dance abruptly as her happy expression turned to dear and dismay. She snappy away and pushed her way through the crowd as everything reached out, trying to touch her flesh in order to be blessed. My body seemed to move on its own towards her direction but Stanislao held me back.
“Let me go!” I barked.
The goat shook his head, “I know how you feel, but you have to let her go. Of everyone on this simple island, her life...is not so simple. She gets her glimpses of freedom, but that’s all she has. Just glimpses.”
I could only watch as she ran away, having nothing of her but the memory of her dance.